1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to straws and, more specifically, to straws incorporating educational and enigma enhancement comprising an end portion of a shape and a corresponding descriptive name of the shape displayed on the exterior body of the straw thereby instilling a cognitive recognition of a sequence of letters associated with the shape which will enhance vocabulary, spelling and object spatial recognition for a plurality of various shapes including geometric shapes.
There are many type of straws in the prior art having various shapes and forms designed to amuse and entertain the user. The present invention enhances these useful traits and adds an educational facet by forming a portion of the straw body into a shape and placing the associative word for the shape on the exterior body of the straw. The shapes include geometric shapes and those shapes that are commonly found in books, periodicals, advertisements and objects. As an example, the sun is often depicted as a circle having a number of peripheral triangles that when depicted in outline resembles the sun; another example would be four overlapping ellipses that when taken in outline resembles a cloud; another example would be four conjoined circles that when taken in outline would resemble a four leaf clover or a group of balloons; another example would be a side view of a car taken in outline would resemble a car, auto, automobile and motor vehicle, any of which are descriptive words that can be associated with the shape. The same would apply for a boat or a plane, although a plane having a somewhat cross-shape would necessitate putting the shaped end into the beverage more out of necessity than choice but it is provided that users may choose either end as the mouth engaging end.
Preferably, the portion of the straw forming the outlined shape is an end where the rim of the straw is the outlined shape and extends into the body forming the shaped portion of the straw. The shaped portion of the straw, while depicted throughout the drawing figures as on the end of the straw, may be formed in the body of the straw by distending the straw body to the shaped portion, extending the shaped portion for an appropriate distance and distending the shaped portion back to the body portion.
Additionally, the present invention provides for an additional element in the form of a lip engaging portion(s) which is one or more curvilinearly extending planar surfaces that may be necessary for the child to sealingly engage the straw body with their lips for irregular shapes such as the aforementioned sun shape.
It is also provided by the present invention that incorporation of a flexible portion within the shaped portion can produce a shaped portion having a deployable portion.
Additionally provided for is using the accordion folds to conceal an enigma portion that can be used in conjunction with a plurality of similar straws in games and contests ranging from simply guessing the word descriptor before expanding the flexible portion to reveal the descriptor word; providing a plurality of straws having a single straw with a unique indicator identifiable through letters, numbers, glifs, images, graphics, pictures, words and combinations thereof and includes providing an enigma portion which is a concealed answer to some other viewable straw copy. An example of the former would be a straw copy of: Your Lucky Numbers—with the numbers concealed in the accordion folds; or a straw copy of: Are these your Lucky Numbers? 1, 15, 18, 23, 45, . . . n,—with the closed accordion fold concealing some enigma qualifying indicator, such as astrological sign, favorite color, riddle, personality trait or other qualifying indicator.
In use, the straw can be inverted so that the shape is in the beverage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other straws designed for beverages. While these straws may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.